The present invention relates to the filling of products, for instance products containing a gas or gas mixture, and in particular to the filling of beverages containing CO2 into dimensionally stable containers at relatively low temperatures. The products or (basic) components of same are to be cooled prior to the filling.
Certain products are cooled prior to filling them into a container. If juices are subjected to a thermal treatment cooling may be required prior to their filling. Products containing a gas or gas mixture, such as products containing CO2, can be filled into filling containers faster if the filling temperature is relatively low, as compared to a relatively high filling temperature. Thus, a higher flow rate at the filler can be achieved. In order to obtain relatively low temperatures of the CO2-containing product to be filled in it is necessary to cool the product upstream of the filler. The required energy is generated in refrigerating plants. According to the state of the art the heat extracted from the product is dissipated to the environment.
However, the filling of relatively cold products/beverages, for instance into cans, PET bottles or glass bottles, may result in condensed water on account of the temperature gradient between the product temperature and dew point temperature. This condensed water may cause problems when the filled containers are packed. For instance, the condensed water may soak the packaging carton, or lead to contaminations when the containers are wrapped into films. Especially in countries where the product temperature is lower than the dew point temperature, and with a high air humidity, heating devices are, therefore, employed to heat the filled containers so as to avoid condensation. Such heating devices can be heated, for instance, with steam.
Thus, the filling process according to the state of the art requires a high energy demand for cooling the product to be filled, on the one hand, and for heating the filled filling containers, on the other hand. The present invention is based on the object to reduce this high energy demand.